People who have higher usage of corticosteroids have a higher risk of what?

• A. Hypertension
• B. Infection
• C. Osteoporosis
• D. Diabetes mellitus

Answer: (B)

High-dose or long-term corticosteroid use suppresses multiple parts of the immune system, making infections more likely. They blunt both innate and adaptive defenses by inhibiting inflammatory signals, reducing neutrophil and macrophage function, and impairing lymphocyte activity. This immune suppression means infections—bacterial, viral, and fungal—are more common and can be harder to fight when steroids are used heavily or for a prolonged period. While steroids can contribute to other problems like osteoporosis or high blood sugar and blood pressure with long-term use, the clearest and most direct increased risk with higher usage is infection.